The capacity for wonders, for magic, reside in the soul. The affinities, the aspects of the magical spectrum one resonates with, determine what is possible for each individual. They represent a soul's compatibility with a type of magic, of which there are countless, no matter anyone's attempt to categorize them. In general, the layman has a natural affinity to at least one type of magic, the natural elements are most likely. The matter of ever discovering it is up to them, as methods for just that are few and far between. Often people screen for the very basic elements - as those are the simplest to discover - and find their affinity. It should be known, however, that it is extremely unlikely for an indiviual to have no affinities than it is to have multiple. Because of this, mundane tasks are often supplemented with magic through Aerae, though these amount to nothing more than cantrips. Real magic, no more than a handful of every ten thousand ever grasp. Not the lighting of matches or the moving dirt of potted plants, nor the chilling of drinks or blowing of small breezes. I speak of the conjuration of storms! The summoning of tidal waves! Of calling upon lightning itself to smite your foes! Few ever witness or achieve such mastery. There are, of course, general ranks of knowledge widely "accepted" by magical practitioners though these, along with other titles, skew into obscurity. Roughly, they go: Initiate, Acolyte, Magician, Mage, Magus, Sorcerer, Wizard, Warlock - Mage being the general term. Unfortunately, the little organizations regarding magic that exist in any influential capacity pick and choose their favorite titles. Additional namecalling such as Hedge Wizards, Adepts, and Witches only add to the confusion. At the very least they, refreshingly unanimously, refer to magical pioneers, lone or decreasingly few in their craft, as Solus. One of the few things magical practitioners can actually agree upon.

-Callon Fewt, a small excerpt of The Titles of Mages

It was a winding staircase that the mage's led them up once the wooden gateway opened. The icy structure was like distorted glass, their faces warped in the walls. Idly, Luck thought on whether Ardun itself was sectioned off by the cardinal directions. Was the north-side city covered in ice while the west-side suffered from the sweltering heat of the Dunes?

"The staircase emerges in the heart of the guild. The main lobby." Mark called back, his voice carrying easily. "Don't get any ideas. Any suspicious moves and you'll be frozen solid. Literally."

"Your whole guild isn't made of ice is it?" Ace joked.

"No." Mark replied. "That's not structurally feasible in Ardun's climate. Besides that's too much work." Luck noted that detail mentally.

"I'd expect a guild of ice mages to be at least a little bit chilly." Tate chimed in.

"The guild master will want to talk to your representative. And you Tate, on the matter of Greyfur's body." He said. "Other than that the rest of you are free to mingle once I announce you."

"Sounds good." Luck replied.

It was a matter of minutes before the stairs straightened and the temperature began to warm. There was a distinct lack of icicles, an odd detail to notice that Luck wouldn't have if they weren't so always present. The stairway opened up ahead.

Boisterous voices filled the air. The clang and cheers of ale and drink. Luck grinned at Ace at the familiar atmosphere, for all their expertise they couldn't pass up good drink. They emerged and the first thing Luck noticed was that they came out of the floor in almost the center of the entire lobby. The place seemed rather un-icy. Chandeliers of ice hung above, some of the tables and chairs were formed of ice but the majority was decidedly wooden and stone. A durable building that burst with life. His ears were filled with the sounds of loud patrons. There were people everywhere, and he realized he didn't even see another human at all. The entire place felt almost like a tavern.

Immediately, the sounds of the crowd died down. People put down their drinks and eyed the group. A group of brawling men paused in their fight, not at all seeming like mages. He could almost swear he felt their roving eyes pass over him to Mark.

"Mark's back!" One cheered, slogging drink all over a frozen table.

"You reckon he slew the beast, then?" A voice called loudly, before laughing drunkenly, raising the volume of the place.

"Won't be long before he goes out again!" A woman yelled. "And he brings friends. Again! Cheers to him and the new pilgrims!" The crowd erupted in boisterous clapping. People slapped mugs together and slapped each other across the back.

Mark shook his head grinning. "Welcome to Magice." He smiled, looking around pointedly.

Luck smirked and followed Mark as he signaled them. Erok and Maxworth seemed interested in the entire building while Nayah was having trouble dealing with the attention. Tric perched on Ace's shoulder and Saga strode by Luck's side without any outward reaction. In truth, the shar really didn't care. Luck stroked Saga's coat.

"So he is yours," Tate spoke, eyeing the shar. "It's the same one I saw in the mountain. A shar."

"He's not mine. He's a friend, and his name's Saga." Luck replied. "You already acquainted yourself in the walk here if I remember correctly." He recalled, remembering Tate petting him as she did all fluffy animals.

"I did." She laughed. "Mark was very cautious around the cat at first, you know. It wasn't until we saw it and the little dragon taking down the bots that he calmed down." She recalled, staring at Saga. "It's got amber eyes, just like you."

"He does." Luck grinned, tuning into the voices around them. "Weird, isn't it?"

He could see and hear whispers about them already. It only took moments for them to be the talk of the crowd. And oddly, the uniqueness of their group was matched in the crowd. There were so many different looking people Luck couldn't help but stare. He spotted people the seemed almost crystal, shining with color. Some sprouted saplings from their backs or outright bore fruit over their shoulders. Others looked lithe and slim with a single protruding horns. There were more of course, but Luck's eyes couldn't take them all in at the same time. The small majority of the people here were furred and snouted though, sharing similarities with Roth. It was not a big majority at all, but it was.

Wolfen. Spirit interjected. Fitting, Luck thought.

Mark walked to a nearby long table. The entrance to the Frozen Zones was the centerpiece of the entire room. A staircase that descended downwards framed by ice. Surrounding it was a multitude of tables and furniture as if this lobby was the resting area before and after trips outside. There weren't many open tables but already Luck could see some situated fairly in the middle of the crowd.

One of these, Mark led them to. "Make yourselves comfortable. I need to talk with the Guild Master Freeze. Yes, that's his real name. I'll be back." He said quickly, deflecting friends that approached him. He walked towards a more brightly lit part of the lobby. A man with glasses at a desk pointed down a hallway and Mark disappeared.

Luck turned back to the group.

Everyone took their seats, enjoying the ambiance and presence of other people. Strangers, but even that was comforting. They'd been alone for weeks, nearly a month just traveling. And while he did love the solidity, he grew up in the city. Having strangers in the background was a familiar feeling. A welcome one at that.

"I believe I see another, gentleman. Excuse me." Maxworth pushed out his chair and walked towards the stranger.

"I can never relax around them," Nayah said offhandedly. She quickly added. "I have nothing personal against them. Just..."

"It is nothing to be ashamed of." Erok stopped her. "The history of the Gentlemen is long, complex, and misunderstood. The struggle is theirs to share." The roken rumbled, watching the two metallic people converse across the room.

"What is with them anyway?" Ace asked. Even if the knowledge was commonplace Luck assumed the group knew they, being Ace and Luck, weren't exactly from around the area, so Luck didn't care anymore. "Max got looks in Peace, even after saving some people. They have a bad history?"

"A bloody one." Erok grimaced. "But if you want to know I suggest hearing it from Max himself." He raised a hand. "For now, we have time to rest. And rest is always appreciated."

It was funny to Luck, seeing everyone sitting together. They'd been on the move so long Luck hadn't actually seen anyone sit in a chair their entire trip. It had always been rocks or keid or snow. The rest didn't seem to notice or particularly care but Luck found it quietly amusing. As he did most things, come to think of it.

Luck absently set his elbows against the table, shuffling his set of amber playing cards. It was a bad habit he never bothered to get rid of, the elbows not the shuffling. It was easier to handle the cards this way. He twirled them between his fingers like feathers, making them flip and dance as if they were alive. His eyes reflected with amber and it only took moments for himself to be engrossed. In moments, the world was lost to him and what mattered were only the cards.

It brought back memories of home. To the Devil of The Cards, there was much more meaning behind them. He was rightfully called a cheat at times, but Luck could play any game quite skillfully anyway. And to him, cards were fun. It was rare for something to be just that - fun that is - in the underground. Sure, they were a gateway to more dangerous gambling and risktaking, and Luck loved that. But it was always the feel of the cards, the texture and sharpness, the rigidity and smoothness, that called back memories of the idlest moments of his life. Ironically, the ones he held closest to his heart.

It was only after a dynamo shuffle into two one-handed shuffles and a few deck switches that Luck zoned back into himself. There were murmurs all around and he knew he had an audience. One of the sapling men stood nearby, right beside Saga actually, with interest and without fear. A man made of yellow crystal drank beer as his eyes darted between Luck's fingers. Erok leaned forward in his seat. Nayah was entranced as well. Maxworth looked on with interest too, apparently having returned without Luck's notice.

Everyone watched, they were still loud, but the majority were interested. This isn't to say they had the attention of the entire room but they had a very small corner of it. As it just so happened, the table they occupied sat five comfortably. Oddly, it was a pentagon, though a lot of the other tables were odd shapes as well. This meant it might as well have been a poker table. Luck smirked, the game of poker might've been too hard to understand for the onlookers so he thought of something more attention-grabbing. It had been a while since he had a bit of time to relax and mess around with a deck of cards.

To everyone but Ace and Tate's surprise, they found cards being dealt to them. Amber cards glided across the varnished wood. "Slapjack." He said absently, continuing to deal. Ace and Tate admired the backs of the cards.

They nodded as Maxworth, Nayah, and Erok observed.

The game, when it boiled down to it, was reaction based. The rules weren't so much exploitable as they were absolute. There was nothing to cheat with. You took turns putting cards down until a sandwich or a double in which case anyone fast enough can slap it, gaining all the cards. Face cards determined how much cards the next player put down. The winner of the slap starts the new round. If there is no slap then the person who played the last face card gets the pot.

Saga felt Luck's excitement and came out from under the table.

In short, Ace and Tate had no chance. With the Familiar Bond's enhancements to his perception and reaction? With Spirit's effect on his mental acuity?

Luck smirked, placing down a Jack. The cards were themed with tools from Jerxos' game. This one depicted a laughing man. His face was mirthful and the crowd in the background laughed wholeheartedly with him. Tate placed a card down as the Jack called for only one. Ace put down a King which called for three cards, it depicted a beautiful garden temple with a man performing magic for a woman. Luck placed another King down.

Luck's eyes sharpened and he slapped.

Ace's hand had found its way under his. Tate blinked and Luck squinted at Ace as he pulled his cards in. Three additional face cards in his hand gave him an advantage. He was too distracted by the artwork of the cards, a mistake on his part. The Goddess of Fun, Jerxos' wife, had really outdone herself. Of course, the artwork of a goddess was a solid excuse for being caught off guard but he wasn't about to tell anyone the origins of his precious amber deck.

In English, "You chose this game, not me." Ace said smugly, splaying out his hands. Tric chirped smugly from Ace's shoulder.

"Jeez, calm down Ace. It's just a game." Tate glanced at him.

"Your start, Ace." Luck smirked.

Ace started with his favorite card, an Ace, and Tate had to place down four cards. No slap. Ace gathered all the cards. Ace put down a Five. Tate put down a Jack. Luck put down a Two. Tate took the cards. Tate put down a Six. Luck followed with a Seven. Ace a Three. Tate a Two. The game blurred with speed, several more patrons attracted by the sound of cards being smacked against the table. A King, a Two, a King.

Hands moved fast. Ace won. Again.

Luck memorized the cards, his mind focusing on their symbols rather than the artwork. Luck's mind was always geared to counting cards but this game, at this speed? It was a waste of time. He gave up, this game, as he intended it to be, was based entirely on reaction. He grimaced, relishing the challenge. Tate smiled despite her cursing and Ace rubbed his arm, grinning too. The rest seated at the table were having their own discussion about the game.

Ace put down a Two. Tate, a Three. Luck placed down a Queen. Ace put down two cards. No slap. Luck gathered the cards. He started, placing down a Seven. Ace placed down a Seven.

Luck found his hand on top of Ace's. Too slow.

He brushed off the loss. Some part of him registered the crowd forming around them but he was too focused now to care. Absently, his leg brushed against Saga. His breathing slowed, his senses sharpened, his muscles became tauter. His eyes slimmed down resembling vertical slits. The entire process was extremely subtle, only occurring between quiet breaths.

Saga peered at the table with interest. An interesting game, Amber Eyes. It seems Quiet One has you beat.

Perhaps if he wasn't cheating. Though, there's no way to prove that, is there?

Cheating? Is this not a game of reflex? When are there ever rules to limit what one can do? If it is possible to react that fast then you must. Saga craned his head in question.

Hmm. Luck hummed, placing down cards with speed.

Now, the pile was quite large. Face cards were necessary to keep the game going. They ended turns and started new ones. The only way a round ended was for a sandwich or a double. Or alternatively, a face card that called for a player to put down any number of cards and where that player failed to place down another face card.

It was almost slow-motion as Tate placed a card down. Ace twitched milliseconds before Luck. Luck's hand was already jetting across the table. Ace's blurred similarly. Amber eyes shrunk to vertical slits with focus happening in less than a second. The sound of the slap of wood resounded across the lobby.

A quick pounce, Amber Eyes. Admirable.

The three looked to the table. "Fast." Ace nodded lifting his hand and shrugging. "Pile's yours, Lucky." Tric chirped madly, earning the eyes of the crowd. Saga stared at her baring teeth.

Luck took the cards wordlessly. Tate looked between both of them and rolled her eyes.

The next round the game proceeded the same way. Up until the slap. Again, it resounded across the lobby. Except, this time, under both Ace's and Luck's hand, was Tate's.

She looked at both of them. "What? If you want to play that way, we'll play that way." Metal crept up her arm conspicuously.

Ace glanced at Luck and they all laughed.

"An interesting game, Erok." Maxworth was saying. "It is entirely based upon reaction and pattern recognition it seems. And they all seem somewhat familiar with the game."

"I think the player that gets all the cards wins," Nayah added. "I don't think I'd last the first few rounds If I tried."

"Seemingly not." Maxworth' smooth voice responded, his eyes were glued to the game.

"Hey!" Nayah retorted.

"Perhaps you should try your hand, Max," Erok suggested. "It is one that you may excel at."

"Anyone can slap in whenever. The only problem with games like this is the size of the table. You can only have so many people surrounding the pile of cards." Luck explained. "By all means, feel free to join."

Ace expanded. "If you don't know the rules it's-" He put down a King. Luck was too slow, the aspect of the shar was wearing off. Tate blinked.

This time, it was like a strong knock against the wood. A metallic hand slowly gathered the rather large pile. Maxworth calmly rested his hands on the table in a neutral position. "I believe I've grasped the basic rules." He said simply.

Erok bellowed jovially. "There you go, Max!" He boomed.

Luck rose an eyebrow, shuffling his seat closer. It would be a close game indeed then. Ace and Tate gave each other looks. They readjusted themselves, getting comfortable and limber. He knew their tics from a lifetime of card games. In this game, it meant little aside from showing him they were serious. Tate's eyes took on a sharp focus while her lips parted slightly. Ace was more subtle, and in most cases it was hard to read him, but in this? A cocky grin spread across his face.

Maxworth was still. But he imagined he heard the gears within the gentleman whirring just a little louder.

They played for a few rounds with the majority of the winning slaps coming from Ace or Maxworth. Luck and Tate were losing their cards slowly. Tate's speed just wasn't up to par with what was clear were inhuman reflexes. The aspect of the shar had worn off, but he'd have to see if he even needed it.

Luck cracked his fingers. They don't call me the Devil of the Cards for nothing. He concealed a smile as techniques moved through his head. His fingers didn't twitch, his hand didn't move, not even his arm. Oh, but they would. And no one would see it.

After a few rounds of losing Luck finally, by chance, won a pot. His fingers moved uncomfortably under the other hands on top of his. He scooped up the cards and centered them into a nice pile so he could deal them on his turn. The winning sandwich was one of Sevens. His hand cupped itself and the card bent to his palm. It was a small edge, but the next time a Seven came around on his turn, he would know when to slap. In this game, reaction beat speed, and he wouldn't even have to react, he'd just know. He'd have to track the second card from the top of the pile as well in case a sandwich matched. It wasn't a problem.

His eyes darted fast past the hands of the players and through to the pile. A King. Jack. Four. Tate takes the cards. She put down a Seven. Luck barely twitched. Ace placed down a King. Luck reacted quickly slapping down an immediate Seven and slapping again in the next instant. Half a second hadn't even passed.

Both Maxworth and Ace blinked at him.

He grinned, repeating the process with face cards instead. Tate got knocked out and was unable to slap back in. Erok sat back, not even trying on a game based on speed. Nayah nudged him and he chuckled, holding up a placating hand. There were a number of tricks Luck employed. He could slap with either hand, being ambidextrous as he was, and nimble hands allowed him to palm two separate cards. He'd been asked suspiciously to flip his hands over but a quick flip of the wrist, barely visible, shot the cards straight into his sleeve. A bit of shuffling had them back in his palms for the next round.

The game went on.

Luck's eyes flicked to the interested patrons and he adjusted his elbows on the table. It was a little uncomfortable. There were only a handful of people standing near their table, the rest of the watchers were simply sitting nearby. In all though, no one looked to have their own deck of cards. He recalled the sideways of Dersoc, the gamblers he saw there. So he knew they existed in this world.

He slapped the last sandwich and won the game, Ace losing the last few of his cards.

"Good game." The former mercenary said defeated. "A little inhumanly fast there." He threw out there. His voice was void of accusation but it was there in his eyes.

"Indeed." Maxworth agreed. "I am new to card games, sir. It was an enlightening experience, friends." Luck knew Maxworth was pretty sharp, but he was the only one who didn't suspect Luck of foul play, mainly because he didn't even entertain the possibility.

"Don't start with Luck." Tate groaned. "Not the person you want to play with if you want to have fun." Luck wondered why she could immediately speak Common while Ace couldn't. Maybe she got it during the impartation?

Maxworth nodded, indifferent. Luck realized what Tate had been saying.

"What?" Luck opened his mouth in protest, aghast. "I'm fun." He said defensively, making a show of shuffling cards between his hands. Erok chuckled.

"I did have fun." Ace backed him up, grinning.

"See?" He gestured at Ace. Tate rolled her eyes but suppressed the beginnings of a grin Luck could easily recognize.

"Why are you helping him?" Tate said in amiable disbelief, smiling.

Nayah cleared her throat. "Ahem." She said. "I believe that must be the guild master. You'll have to postpone the games for now."

Luck turned to watch Mark across the room. "So it seems." He began to gather the cards.

Mark strode to the table, having to move around a few standing guild members - or what Luck assumed were guild members. A tall bearded man followed at a strong pace behind him. Similarly, the taller man was dressed in snow-like robes, though he wore both blue and gold.

The five-man table turned and Mark introduced the person. "Guild Master Freeze." He announced.

The person in question was a wolfen. He had simple black fur and commanded the room in a subtle way. "Hello travelers. I've been told there's something I need to hear." He looked at them a moment. "Let's take them up the walls, Mark. After all, the first thing any pilgrim might want to see is Ardun in its entirety. No better place than the walls of Magice to see it."

"How big is this place exactly?" Luck cut in unable to stem his curiosity.

Freeze turned to him and there was a subtle pressure in his gaze. His fur was a midnight contrast to his snow-white robes. He looked Luck up and down. "Sufficiently so. Large enough for over two hundred members plus staff." There was a sword at his hip and his hand never strayed too far from its pommel. "It pales in comparison to the size of Ardun, however. The walls are the best place to see. With me, Mark." Guild Master Freeze started forward without preamble.

Mark chuckled. "Sure thing, Freeze." He gestured after him. "Come, all of you. It's your chance to see Ardun. Magice has one of the best views in the city."

In short order, everyone followed Guild Master Freeze. It was a short trip that allowed Luck to comprehend the size of the structure. They passed a cafeteria, some sparring halls, dorms, and other facilities. There was even a room he saw filled with ice. It emanated cold and there was nowhere in the building that ever came close to that temperature. But soon they were past even that.

"He seems lax for a leader." Luck remarked, watching the guild master ascend a staircase.

"Those with power need only to demonstrate it once to command loyalty," Mark replied. He supported himself on staircase banisters as he ascended. "Guild Master Freeze isn't questioned here in Magice. And that, more than anything, is telling."

"What's the guild specialize in?" Nayah asked, Luck hadn't thought of that. He assumed the guild was a group of people striving for power, maybe stemming the tide of monsters. Maybe they just liked Ice magic. He could see people devoted to mastering a magic.

"Research. Specifically, of the magic circles underlying the Frozen Zones. We have little people experienced in such fields but they are some of the greatest minds. Magice is an association of ice and snow. We research the cold, and the Frozen Zones are just that. The mana circles, magic circles, runic circles, whatever name you want to call them are of our interest." Mark replied. "At our center, I'd say we want to push the boundaries of our magic. A typical goal for most magic guilds." He shrugged. "Ice magic, if you hadn't guessed."

"Are there other guilds in the city?" Ace asked.

"Many," Mark said. "Any, in particular, you're searching for? Many come to Ardun to study or further their craft, technique, or magic if they've any promise. And Ardun houses the experts skilled enough to train outside the walls."

Erok rumbled before Ace could speak. "How about a fighter's guild, specializing in physical combat. Somewhere to spar?"

The conversation became of the city until Luck's mind was filled with it. He stared at Freeze's back as he strode through an open doorway. The transition was so smooth he didn't immediately understand that he gazed upon Ardun. A bastion of a city sitting between huge walls. Buildings rose upward when they couldn't stretch horizontally, streets laced the grid and people walked or ran or sprinted across, to and fro. It was lively. Kids were running, tapping on the shoulders of men and women, soon everyone was running to see something.

Guild Master Freeze spoke deep and with a frown. "One of Krukon's grand apes have gotten over."

Luck reevaluated. His eyes backtracked the paths. They weren't running to something they were running from it. An ape, almost impossibly large, was visible from even here. The sheer size made Luck feel small. It rose above the size of one of the nearby buildings and judging from the distance that structure would've been multiple stories.

Mark peered over the wall's parapet. "How long has it been since the last breach?" Their voices were too casual. Luck tried not be concerned for the lives down there.

"A decade and three months. Thirty-seven dead in the south by way of snake. A gold-black enlarged anaconda, if I recall correctly. I see adventurers already moving." Freeze replied.

"Isn't that bad?" Nayah asked somewhat hesitant.

Maxworth was the one to reply. "It is Ardun, Nayah. There are many capable souls here."

"Is that the guild you spoke of Mark?" Erok pointed to a crowd of men that rushed out from the streets nearby, mere specks compared to the ape.

"Yes." Mark replied. "Ardun's fighter's guild. If you can wield a sword or any weapon you can try to join. They accept only the most experienced and capable members. They have one of the lowest mortality rates of any organization, a true achievement in times like this."

Freeze's voice was approving. "They do well for those who don't use magic." He said.

"They're climbing the nearby buildings. What are they - ah, I see. " Luck saw men throw weights over the ape, keeping calm even among its rampage.

"They're chaining it down." Tate noted. "Efficiently too."

It was a project. The needed weights to even stabilize the monster against the ground was immense and it took long minutes for the group to accomplish it. When it was firmly pressed against its bonds and the ground the guild moved in. Its death was fast. Luck watched the entire ordeal in silence. The creature had some connection to nature and he spoke a small prayer under his breath as Mark began.

"The monsters have begun to attack more frequently even outside of the Waves." Mark explained, his eyes on the commotion below. "The Waves are when they all come at once, for simplicity. The walls of the city, manned by the most trusted of our people, watch for just that. This level of activity outside of the Waves is unprecedented. More so, there have been strange happenings of late regarding the areas around Ardun, Guild Master Freeze." He said seriously, turning from addressing the group to the guild master.

"A result of the Update, no doubt." Luck added, still watching ape below and in the distance.

Freeze rose an eyebrow. Mark gestured to Luck.

He took the cue. "We journeyed half a month give or take. Through Hydr up into the Zones and finally down to Ardun. The purposes for our route remain ours alone but the dangers we weathered I will gladly share. Metal hunks speckled across the Dunes have begun to rise, ancient remnants destined to protect Last Light, or what is now known as Ardun. Protocol West, they call it. These structures are marked on multiple maps and are oddly never buried in the sand, no matter the storm. Their absence can be confirmed easily enough. Additionally, we came across and dispatched a half-gnome half-goblin from a time eons before ours found deep within the Frozen Zones creating an 'autoling' large enough to breach the walls I see before me. Not to mention the Frost Drake we saved from him." Luck said the entire thing rather quickly, letting Freeze decide whether or not to believe it. "The point being, ancient threats or allies are awakening. I gather the areas surrounding Ardun have at least some history to them, and for that, I warn that you caution yourselves to whatever may awake from that history, at least those you know."

The rest of the group nodded and Freeze took in the information. His eyes seemed distant and the man seemed older for a moment before he turned back to the group from his gazing. "And our guildmate you found dead? Greyfur?"

Tate was the one to respond this time. "Dead by blunt trauma. I found his body."

Freeze stared at her hard but Mark shook his head. Freeze paused at the hand on his shoulder, breathed and gazed upon the city. "Of course. Most of anyone who matters already know this, and has known this. There'd be much more chaos have we hadn't done anything."

Mark blinked. Freeze nodded. "Don't act surprised, Gaypa. You're never at the guild to begin with. The other officers have been reporting strange occurrences and anomalies in the Zones as well. They filter through to the correct channels, specifically those regarding the four regions and most of anyone with access to that network know something's up. This 'autoling' calls for some investigation, however, if you believe it could've breached the walls. Worry not, the responsibility is with the right people in Ardun."

He looked to the group. "Thank you all the same, pilgrims. Feel free to rest here for the day, admire the city from the walls, talk to the guild members, perhaps explore the city yourself, or even apply to Magice. Come morning, as non-guildmembers, we'll have to ask you to leave. Though, we will point you to the Mainhelp, one of the largest buildings in Ardun. I'd recommend visiting there today if you can manage it." He pointed. Everyone's gaze was drawn if they hadn't already seen it earlier.

It was a thick spire, rising higher than a high percentage of the other buildings. A clearing, though small from this distance, must've been the size of a stadium. There was a lot happening there but Luck's eyes strained and Saga nudged his hip noticing. It looked like a majority of the fleeing citizens flocked there.

"As for the chaos ensuing due to the Update. Feel free to spread the news - or don't. The people will find out on their own whether we like it or not. Though I expect Ardun to rally than to route."

Most of the group nodded to that.

Luck leaned against the battlements. The Magice building was large and fort-like but it was designed well. He could see that much just from looking around atop the building. He was finally here. One step closer to finding his family. He had made it. Ardun. The word echoed in his head and he looked amid the small running specks below, the chaos ensuing, and the peace found in ignorance on the opposite end of the city. There were large buildings that dotted the cityscape and different peoples walking freely among each other. It got tight between buildings very often and vendors took advantage of that intimacy.

He gripped his pendant and looked to the motes.

The group questioned the guild master for the better part of an hour before he had business to attend. The questions ranged to cultural customs, to the major guilds and their systems. Luck asked a question about clothing himself, specifically those of the guild master's. They were exorbitantly expensive. That is, after the money system was explained to him by Ace in English. He had apparently learned it from Maxworth, and true, Luck did indeed recall a night where he spoke of the banks of Aerae. There was one such in the city actually.

The rest of the day was one of leisure. They all agreed to explore the city having been excited to experience the place they saw below. There were a few people that Luck turned away as they curiously asked about his cards. He held them safe in his pocket. Mark took a short walk outside the building to show everyone the path to the city. It seemed the Magice building was situated in the northern corner of Ardun, at a higher altitude and somewhat isolated. They walked down, passing a few isolated buildings before the scenery began to change into what they saw from above.

They had only just reached a crowded plaza, one of many Luck had seen from above.

"Remember the fighting styles you told me about Maxworth? You think they practice them here?" Ace was excited, hands in his pocket and whistling, taking in the sights.

"There will most definitely be practitioners." Maxworth nodded, giving Ace a curious look. "Why are you so interested in the most basic styles of combat?"

"I wonder how different they are from the ways I was taught, Max." Ace replied honestly. "Does that not excite you? Imagine, facing off against someone like what Luck was to you. The style was perplexing to you but tell me it didn't intrigue you? I wonder what techniques are similar and which are different, perhaps preference dominates efficiency, or perhaps cultural background has an effect." He said, passionately. "I want to spar damn it!" He grinned.

Maxworth seemed to be smiling, a rare occurrence, as he gazed at Ace. "Perhaps I'll join you then. Though my presence may be disconcerting to some. I will hang back if necessary."

"Won't be necessary. If they're scared of you just challenge them to a spar. If that's actually acceptable in the circumstance, that is." Ace laughed. "I'll teach you a few moves if you'll let me ask a few questions Erok said I should be asking from you and not him."

Maxworth's reaction was positive. He seemed happy at Ace's nonchalant jibing. "That would be acceptable, sir. On the condition I ask some questions about your familiar. She is really quite charming." Tric chirped at that, having been perched on Ace's shoulder.

"Just Ace is fine, Max. And of course, why not?" He grinned, winking at Luck. He didn't even realize he was rolling his eyes, it just happened. Luck waved him away scoffing.

"Forget sparring, we've had enough physical toil. I've heard good things about Ardun's chefs. Putting aside the history of the city, the hardy nature of its inhabitants, the food processed from the monsters surrounding the city is said to be superb." Erok rumbled, though it came more from his stomach. "Nayah," She looked surprised at someone addressing her. "Would you accompany me?" It was a small gesture that might've meant a lot more judging from the reaction on her face. Erok was a good guy, Luck decided.

Nayah had been somewhat quiet since Luck had confronted her in the moonlight. There were many differenced separating her from the rest. One learns a thing or two in the underground. Food is always a surefire way to bridge differences. It was the purpose behind Ark's Dishes. It seemed Erok knew that too. "Of course," Nayah replied, a small smile on her lips.

Ace and Maxworth were already talking, asking strangers for directions. They waved a short goodbye with plans to meet up later at Mainhelp.

Erok and Nayah looked at him.

"Will you be joining us, Druid?" Erok's voice was deep but Luck could make out eagerness at the prospect of eating. "If eating animals is against your creed we can dine somewhere without." Luck thought Erok might be aghast at that idea but the prospect of veganism didn't daunt the roken. He was refreshingly honest.

Luck laughed genuinely. "No, it's not Erok. Thank you for the offer and for considering my duties," Luck chuckled, "but I'll be exploring on my own. Maybe try visiting a bar on your way, Nayah?" He smiled at her.

She gave a small grin back. "Maybe, maybe. Well, we'll see you at Mainhelp later then."

"I think I'm going to try to find a library then." Tate said, having been silent most of the time. She stared at her arm. "Maybe find out a little about this." She nodded and was gone.

"We'll talk later, sis." He waved.

Everyone wandered into the crowd and Luck was able to track them for a short while only with help from years of training before they altogether disappeared. Now it was only Luck and Saga.

Do you think I'll be looked at twice scaling the buildings, Amber Eyes? Saga said sarcastically.

Luck chuckled mentally. I'm afraid so, Saga. I'm not entirely sure what the people's knowledge of familiars are but I don't think it's easy to recognize one on sight.

Hmmm. He could hear the shar thinking.

Luck decided to help him. Sometimes the easiest way to blend in is to walk among the common folk like you belong there. Go for-

"Is that your familiar, sir?" A gruff voice addressed him. Luck turned to find a uniformed man standing at attention behind him.

"Yes he is." Luck answered.

The man reached around his waist and rummaged through his satchel. He tossed a bright red cloth weighted down by a small metal trinket at him. "Tie it around your familiar. We can't have people panicking over a shar in the city. You've already gotten stares. The trinket marks a friendly beast, the cloth indicates he's a familiar, and the color indicates danger. As a shar, he'll be permitted to aid in defense of the city if it's needed." He rapid fired.

"Oh, thank you. That helps a lot officer." Luck did just that, tying it around Saga's arm.

"It's just 'guard' to you, citizen." He nodded. "I'll be on my way then. Have a good one, citizen." He waved and began yelling at a child looking abashed near a fruit vendor.

"Saga-" He turned slowly. "And I'm all alone..." He could just make out Saga disappearing into the crowd. True, almost none of the crowd reacted negatively to the shar. One look at the sash and they went along their way.

Suffice to say, Luck was, for the first time in a long time, alone in a city full of strangers.

There was something to be said about slipping into a crowd and becoming part of it. An anonymous addition that could just as easily leave a group of strangers as it did enter. He relished the nostalgia, weaving through the crowd as he often did. Dodging under a pair of moving men with more joints than they should, catching a mother's falling groceries, spinning around furred wolfen, moving seamlessly away from giants of men that towered heads above others, projecting his path for the smaller folk that in turn weaved around him, awing at people of crystal, nodding at watching guards, absently brushing away pickpockets with a stare. The place bustled with noise from the vendors hawking their wares to the loud conversations of the passerby. His footsteps became one with the crowd and he enjoyed the views, allowing the scenery to take him.

He squeezed between buildings as the crowd did. They were of varying materials but their properties were made known by Spirit. Most were the recurring hardstone, a tannish brown that turned grey in the shade. The buildings ranged from squat and tall like Peace to even stranger structures that built at angles or seemed flatter than they should. Vendors took advantage of the intimacy and beckoned passerby, many of which humored them. They sold tattered papers, books, monster pelts, ice cold drinks, steaming hot food, weapons, and armor, trinkets and jewelry. Luck couldn't really think of anything they'd missed. Luck smiled like an idiot lost. Stares were pointed his direction but he didn't care. He was a city kid at heart. Genuine joy and mirth at just being back home, or something akin to it. It was different, sure, but when it came down to it, it was the bustle, the noise, the business, the strangers, sights, smell and crowd that made a city.

He tuned into the noise as he walked, trusting his body to cut through the crowd as he had so often before. He heard a variety of beautiful languages, structured and strict, fluent and elegant, unique and weird, descriptive, vague, rough, guttural, whispish, fast and slow. It was something of an orchestra, different instruments that vied for attention that Luck heard as one piece. A beauty no one else but him could appreciate.

He thought the people would be in a panic because he knew he heard the talk of the breach and the grand ape that got through on the lips of many passersby. But a second look at the crowd and he realized something. Somehow, these happy people seemed almost hardened. As if the crow's feet on their eyes hinted at as many smiles as hardships. Weapons were openly about but no one was threatened by them. A decade had passed since the last incident but no one seemed worried, a testament to the city.

There were clothing lines strung between buildings, both holding clothes and advertising local or exotic teas or alchemical mixtures. Kids in the windows reeled wet clothes out and the people below didn't mind the drip, cooling them off the little it could.

"Liner! Dry them for a three copper aera!" A man tossed up a sopping wet bundle of clothes.

"Four for the lot, mister!" The kid called back. "Not a copper less! I've got your face, sir, off you go!"

"Pah! Fine!" The man waved, disappearing into the crowd.

He spotted a musician on the roof playing fast-paced music on his fiddle. Nimble fingers darted about as if they were dancing across a bar room, or chasing thieves. The passage between these buildings was particularly large but even then it didn't give itself to be large enough for dancing.

"Fancy a dance, love?" A burly man asked his wife.

"With you darling? Of course." And they twisted the crowd open into a dancefloor.

People got shoved and shuffled away but they only rolled their eyes. Eventually some even danced harder to knock the couple off the clearing. They only laughed and spun fasted.

Luck smiled as the people danced. And soon he was among them, spinning and twirling and dancing the only way he knew how. It was a mixture of martial art and instinct, a rhythm developed from methods less wholesome. But to turn it to such activities was freeing. Often did a lady glance his way, sapling men cheered him, small folk danced around him. He swung his torso and lifted his legs, swaying to the rhythm. Showboating, as some might call it. Luck threw his hood over his head and built momentum, spinning in place. His hand propped itself to the ground as he threw his waist close to the floor, his feet following. His other hand came down and a combination of enhanced balance and past experience had him windmilling on the floor, the crowd of spectators "oohing" and "ahhing" some outright screaming or chanting.

"Auth! How is he doing that?" A man laughed. "He looks like that crazy monk with his legs flying around like that!"

A mother clapped enthusiastically for her sons "Go! Go! Go!" People started clapping.

The fiddle matched his rhythm and built upon it, sending the crowd wild. Even the more purposed citizens clapped and called as they moved on their way. The speed crescendoed and Luck seamlessly spun upwards before coming up onto his legs in an instant, bowing deeply. The motion was so sudden the fiddler missed his cue and instead stopped completely, an almost artificial silence in less than a second. The crowd took half a second before they erupted into cheers and hollers.

It was surreal.

He got pats on the back and smiles his way and he accepted them with ease. Some stayed and danced as a woman tipped the fiddler again. The music came slower and the vendors of that particular area were happier. The crowd moved on quickly, apparently, performances of the sort weren't unheard of. From the vibe he got, the people of Ardun were a celebratory folk.

Up ahead there was a commotion. A wall of people slowing down to stare at something. It wasn't long before spotted a gigantic hand in a shallow crater. Ropes and weights locked the hand, then the entire arm to the floor. It was the grand ape, the significance of the name would've been lost on Luck if not for the sheer size of the thing. It landed in what would've been the largest of the plazas he came across, and still, the thing managed to completely wreck three buildings. People crowded around, guards lined the body, some even leaning against it.

"Ah, an ape this time." A crystal man chimed in, his voice light and piercing. "Krukon's becoming more dangerous too."

"What's it been a decade since the last incident? Though this is nothing compared to then." A wooden man, his voice like creaking wood spoke.

"And three months." A random wolfen added.

The three speculated on the happenings. They each had combat duty outside the walls so they weren't strangers to Krukon's Forest. They spoke briefly, sharing the bond between soldiers before saying farewells. For Luck, it gave him a bit of context. This was a city built on and thriving upon monsters. It's primary product and resource were the things that attacked it. Of course, the citizens would be nonchalant.

He frowned as his stomach rumbled. He was sick of the fruits in his dimensional room and didn't feel like hunting in the Grove, even knowing he could escape into it unseen. He preferred the city of Ardun for now. Although the heat berries would do to stave off his starvation while he attended to his main problem.

Luck was dead broke. The money system, as explained by Ace was fairly simple. Aeran banks backed Aeran currency with valuables and treasures kept locked up in solitude. An Aera was a coin of either copper, silver, or gold, where the former equated to one hundred of the latter, moving up.

He found a nearby guard. "What are the rules for setting up a shop like the vendors?" He asked.

"An empty space and something to sell." The guard replied, rubbing his mustache. "Although this late in the day there'll be no spots worth your time, lad."

"Alright. Thank you for your service, guard." Luck said genuinely, surprising the guard who nodded in appreciative salute.

It wasn't hard for Luck to find something sufficient to get himself on the roofs. Even tightly packed buildings allowed him to shimmy upwards. The hard part was doing so unseen, but Luck had practice of that, even in a bustling city like this. A quick sprint up a wall, one that he wouldn't ever have attempted previously, and he latched onto the very first pipe he had seen in the city - or rather noticed. From there it was a series of jumps and holds until he was able to shamble on top of the highest building for half a dozen blocks - or what passed for them.

He sat in lotus pose and rooted himself to the building and thus the dirt it was built upon. He spent thirty minutes on the flat roof feeling the earth. Sensing it. It was as if every vibration was a ripple in quicksand, obscuring the image and pulling him deeper until he was blind. His foot tapped the ground and his vision cleared in a single foot's radius around him. He focused on that, trying to teach himself. Spirit had sufficient instruction and Luck was able to make some progress simply from trying the methods Spirit described. Parts of the process he allowed to be automated before taking them upon himself once he better understood them.

"Magic is an art rooted in emotion." He recalled, absently.

His sense clamped down on the vibrations moving through the hardstone below. They were stubbornly blinding him so he took them on all at once. To be just as stubborn. He noted, from outside his emotional lens, the relentless grip he held on the magic, even for something as simple as this. The vibrations became coherent and he closed his eyes to notice the footsteps of a family below him, living in the building he sat upon. He left them to their privacy. He tried other methods more emotional than the ones Spirit recommended. It was another hour and no extra progress was made. He was able to sense a little further than ten feet and perhaps with more accuracy, enhanced further with Spirit's help, but in all that was it.

He groaned, chewing on a heat berry. "I got too engrossed with the magic I forgot the purpose I was trying it for." Luck chuckled, dropping two stories between buildings into a roll. He peered over the edge of the building, watching traffic. "Looks like I'm finding a place to set up shop the old-fashioned way."

He could easily bring in customers and he wasn't looking so much for a passage filled with people than he was for a passage that could be filled with people. A few glances at the many competing stands he saw only shared the same product albeit at different quality, location, and price.

The sun was still high in the sky as Luck found somewhere fitting. It was an exposed area against the sun. Foot traffic was slow here and the majority of the crowd were the sapling men - Sentinels they were called. Luckily, Spirit had these people fairly mapped out in the general information package. They were a slower race and because the surrounding streets and passages were actually easily congested they elected to come through here at their slow pace to reduce traffic. Not many vendors set up here either.

Of course, Luck found it perfect for his methods. It was a small clearing and out of the way, no one would be looking here. He stomped lightly on the ground, forming a countertop and small tent made of stone. A doorway to the back, filled with empty shelves. He stepped into the small storage room, not even five by five feet. The front of the place was even smaller, but such was the spot he chose.

He placed baskets of flarefruit along the shelves. Another woven basket of sweetbark. A few of glowturns. Soaked apples, fronds of coldleaf, heatberries, and more. A bland fruit that was fun to chew - oddly. More fruit that Luck sampled himself and Spirit named for him. In moments, Luck with nothing in hand, had fully stocked his small shop.

He grinned smugly. "Knew those seeds would come in handy."

He decorated the front of his shop with baskets of fresh and vibrant dark-gold flarefruit sitting on sweetbark plates. Another plate of dark blue soaked apples dripped with juice in the sun, reflecting off the eyes of the people nearby. Glowturns hung in baskets from earthen rungs above, soft yellow like lanterns framing the shop. Coldleaf fronds lined the other fruits until Luck's small shop looked like it was bursting with life. He'd have to thank Ace for weaving so many baskets.

He created a chair in plain sight, his magic perfectly concealed by the plants, and took a seat. His frame was perfectly outlined and he idly took out his deck of cards and began to shuffle and play, pretending for all the world to not notice his first few customers gazing about the fruits and veggies.

"Are these coldleaf fronds?" A sapling man asked, this one had an apple growing from his shoulder. "I thought those only grew high in the Frozen Zones."

"They do, they do." Luck smiled. "I'm afraid I have a surplus however."

"Four silver aera for an entire frond." He haggled.

"Highway robbery. Ten silver or none at all. Are you aware of the alchemical brews alone coldleaf lends itself to? Not to mention its scarcity of late." Luck talked out of his ass, though Spirit did confirm the alchemical lies.

The sapling man. "Impossible, coldleaf is relatively easy to acquire. I'll part with six silver aera, no more!"

"You mistake yourself, customer. The Update increase the dangers, and thus the labor. Ten silver aera is fair, I assure you! Though I'll let you got with eight if you call your friends over!" Luck chuckled, shuffling his cards. "Pick a frond, have your choice."

The sapling man frowned but chuckled in the end, "It's a deal." He handed over eight silver coins stamped with odd symbols. The sentinel plucked a piece of his choosing and nibbled a single leaf. "Authentic coldleaf. You'll have a swarm of customers in no time."

Luck thanked him for his service and relaxed. It was short-lived. He had a line going in less than twenty minutes.

"What is this delicious fruit? Here! Have a bite!" One wolfen growled, his fur stained with juice. "It's like sharp and sweet! But doesn't leave a single aftertaste." He handed one to a sentinel friend.

"Harvest! What is that, vendor?" He called forward, having already bought a handful of glowturns.

"That would be flarefruit, dear customer!" Luck yelled back. "And how about you, my good cevao?" The Cevao were the crystal people Spirit pointed out for him.

"Amazing!" The distant customer called back as the cevao in front him decided.

"Hmm." He said, "What do you recommend? I've only come from all the commotion and I saw the line was still short." He turned around, seeing the entire street nearly cut in half by the line. "I think I at least made the right decision there. Just now what to buy?"

Luck nodded, he like a person who took a chance. "Sweet, sharp, tangy, spicy, juicy, or minty?"

"Sweet and minty." The crystal woman said. Her voice was like the tinkling of windchimes. She was a vibrant yellow that matched the glowturns.

"Texture? Firm? Crisp? Crunchy?" Luck listed off his fingers. He was quite quick to deal with customers and in all honesty the small chats he didn't mind.

"Crunchy?" The cevao asked, confirming what she heard.

"Crunchy."

"Crunchy then."

"Sweet bark and coldleaf and some of these chilled frost berries, you'll like those." Luck showed her three small baskets. "Have a small sample of each, free of charge. Take what you like."

She ended up buying a handful of all three. She didn't even complain at the prices Luck asked of her. The money went into a newly installed earthen drawer for a few hours until it overflowed. At that point, Luck deposited it straight into his dimensional room.

"A basket of glowturn and heatberries." The sentinel that came up asked. "That's ten to a basket and two dozen of the heatberries, correct?" Luck adjusted the hanging woven baskets so he could see his customer.

"And about 45 silver aera." Luck had appointed Spirit to analysis and pricing, quite lazily, and neither he or his customers had complained. Spirit assured him they were making a profit. Of course, they were making a profit, these plants came straight from his Grove. Still, the Mk3 showed him the numbers and Luck waved it away, wanting it to be a surprise.

"45? Sure, with this kind of business I can't blame you. Nearly none of these fruits are present in Ardun. You must be some trader, vendor. Good luck and well wishes!" A ripe tomato hung from his back as he left.

Luck smirked and waved. "Pleasure doing business with you-"

A rapid voice cut him off. "What kind of coldleaf is this?" A spectacled crystal man exclaimed. He was a scrawny fellow wearing comfortable robes but his body unlike most was a clear crystal. His white clothes stood out from the crowd as he inspected the coldleaf fronds. "I've never seen them so vibrant and plentiful."

"Ah, I believe that's my business and mine alone to know." Luck smirked softly knowing all too well the magical properties of the seeds from which they were grown. He'd have to take another look at whatever enchantment was on them now that he was somewhat versed in Nature magic.

"Perfectly understandable." He droned. "I'd like to buy your whole stock if you deem it acceptable."

Luck paused, re-evaluating their worth. His mind fired off for moments. "Are you part of some alchemical organization? A merchant's association? Am I speaking to a representative?" He asked finally. He rested his elbows on the counter and regarded the man with the tilt of his head.

Data sprung up from the cevao individual. Some Luck could ascertain without the help, breathing rate, heart rate, etc. The clothes he wore and anything else noteworthy. In Luck's eyes, he seemed an ordinary citizen aside from the way he held himself, like a man of importance.

"A sharp one you are, vendor." He pushed up his spectacles which only seemed to make his eyes a kaleidoscope. "I am from Ardun's Merchant Guild. Any non-vendor establishments have some tidings with us by law. Permanent setups and such. Coldleaf is one ingredient that aids somewhat in the defense from the north, though it also is found only from the Zones. With the Update this has become only more dangerous to harvest And because it is too costly to import, both for us and the fellows who bring it, I am interested in your stock on behalf of the Merchant's Guild and thus Ardun."

"Identification please." He ventured.

"Sure." The man held out a metal trinket, a silver bag of gold.

Luck heard a few people groan from behind the man and took that as verification instead. "How much would you offer for a shelf of coldleaf of this quality?" He asked, touching some fronds on the counter. He had more but was unwilling to give large amounts of something to someone who wanted it. Luck just needed some money. "That's four baskets worth."

"Five gold aera is a reasonable offer I believe." No changes in behavior, Luck noticed. Some quick math on Spirit's part and Luck got somewhat of a similar deal if he had charged individually.

Luck pretended to think longer than he needed to. The cevao perused the rest of his wares while he waited. "A deal then." Luck finally said. "Five gold aera." He called back, pulling out four baskets of the coldleaf.

The man pulled out the promised money and Luck made a show of "placing" it into his earthen drawer. "The Merchant's Guild would like to thank you for your time. Have a good rest of the business day, vendor." He said, before departing.

Luck was actually more curious about their role in the city so he asked his next customer. "The Merchant's Guild or Merchant Guild, whatever. They handle the big businesses around the city and occasionally track down smaller vendors if they hear about any product they'd like to get their hands on. They offer fair prices too but they're like big predators hunting the prey of the poorer customers. Of course, most of us don't like them but we know they're good for the city." A sentinel told him. This one was a wooden yellow with ripe fruits on his back as well. "They're as big as the Adventurer's Guild or the Practitioner Coterie here."

The sentinel man was the last of his customers and he didn't seem to mind the slower conversation either. The Adventurer's Guild was an organization that took requests from the citizens and issued them to their guild members. These could range from bodyguard duty to hunting for special ingredients outside the walls, or, if by request of the city, just defending the walls from Waves. They were a powerful group that ranked their members to verify which difficulty tasks they could take or attempt. Luck could see how something like that could work here, there was a lot to do.

The Practioners Coterie was an inclusive group whose influence was great. They harbored people skilled in the magical arts and taught those who showed promise. Most magical practitioners dreamed of joining their ranks. A verifying symbol from the Coterie was of great influence by its lonesome and lent immense credibility to the individual who carried it. Aside from a myriad of goodwill projects around the city, they contributed to the city's defense during Waves, and, although the defense of Ardun would be possible in their absence, their presence had saved many lives.

Luck would have to do more research since these groups existed even outside of Ardun.

For today though, he was done. The street was nearly empty and no eyes were there to watch him. Spirit confirmed this too, it was easy since there was only a small angle to view the shop from. In moments, however, it disappeared into the ground. He smirked, counting his fortunes.

Twenty-one gold aera.

Idly, he wondered what the rest of the group had been up to as he made his way to Mainhelp.